Ducks News

Top Moments of the 2016-17 Season: 10-6

As disappointing as it was to see Anaheim's run come to an end in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final, it was a season full of memorable moments. From dramatic overtime victories to new franchise records, the 2016-17 season, as a whole, was a rollercoaster ride of emotion. We here at AnaheimDucks.com have compiled a list of the top 20 moments from this past season, and we didn't just limit it to the players themselves (as you'll see).

10) Cogliano's Ironman Streak Moves Into Fourth All-TimeConsidering the rigors of an NHL season, the violent nature of the sport and the fact he plays it constantly with a reckless abandon, the fact that Andrew Cogliano has never missed a game in his 10-year career is simply remarkable. And it was on March 22 against his former team, the Edmonton Oilers, at Honda Center that Cogliano's streak took on added meaning.

By playing in his 777th consecutive game, Cogliano passed Craig Ramsay to move into fourth all-time in NHL history, behind only Doug Jarvis (964), Garry Unger (914) and Steve Larmer (884). By season's end, Cogliano's streak had stretched to 786 games, the longest in the league in 23 years, and he's also played in 60 in the postseason (all with Anaheim).

Cogliano has always credited a regimented workout and diet plan for his durability, not to mention help from various trainers over the years. "And also I've been lucky," Cogliano said after the 777th. "I've been fortunate. I've got a combination of everything mixed into one. It has been a recipe that has been good to me. So I don't know what really else to say other than it's something that it's very fortunate to happen and I'm very grateful for it."

9) Getzlaf Passes Selanne on Assists ListThere aren't too many all-time lists in the Ducks record books that don't have the name Teemu Selanne firmly planted at the top. From goals to points to autographs signed (unofficial), he has owned them all. But Ryan Getzlaf managed to supplant him on one list during a 4-2 win at Carolina on November 10.

With the helper on Ryan Kesler's empty-netter late in the game, Getzlaf got his 532nd NHL assist to pass Selanne for first place on Anaheim's all-time list. Ironically enough, Jakob Silfverberg missed an easy chance to fill the empty net (which would have given him a hat trick), allowing Getzlaf to recover the puck and feed Kesler for the goal.

Getzlaf would finish the season with 578 career assists, but to catch Selanne in career points as a Duck, he still has some work to do. His 814 is still 174 behind the Finnish Flash.

8) Ducks Down Kings to Win Fifth Straight Pacific Division CrownBeating the Kings is always satisfying, but when it comes with some icing on the cake, it's even better. Anaheim's 4-3 overtime victory over the Kings in the regular season finale on April 9 at Honda Center included the clinching of a fifth straight Pacific Division title.

The Ducks tied the game with 8:26 left on a fortunate deflection off the stick of Nate Thompson, who redirected a Brandon Montour pass and watched it trickle over the stripe past sprawled goalie Jonathan Quick. It was the first of the season for Thompson, who missed several months with a torn Achilles.

When the game ultimately went to overtime still tied 3-3, the Ducks clinched the Pacific and became the seventh different team in NHL history to win five consecutive division titles, joining the Colorado/Quebec franchise (9 straight from 1995-03), Montreal (8 from 1975-82), Detroit (8 from 2001-09), Edmonton (6 from 1982-87), Dallas (5 from 1997-01) and Vancouver (5 from 2009-13). Anaheim is also the only team to win the Pacific Division five consecutive years since its creation in 1993-94.

To top things off, Shea Theodore buried a wrist shot on the breakaway just 53 seconds into the 3-on-3 overtime session to give the Ducks a 4-3 victory over the Kings, whose season ended that night having not qualified for the playoffs.

The Ducks won the division after falling nine points back of first place on three separate occasions, most recently being nine points behind San Jose on March 15 (91 San Jose points to 82 Anaheim points).

"We went through a lot of ups and down this year," Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf said. "A lot of different things. We grew as a group as we went along. That was a good sign. The second half of the year we did a lot better job with our composure. We built towards this."

7) Ducks Hold 10-Year Celebration of Stanley CupIt's hard to believe it's been more than a decade since the Ducks won California's First Cup on June 6, 2007, and the franchise held a 10-Year Celebration of that championship team in March. Players, coaches, management and staff from that team were invited back to Anaheim for a weekend celebration that culminated with a lengthy ceremony prior to the Ducks taking on the Washington Capitals on March 12 at Honda Center.

Members of the team lined a stage at center ice, taking part in a Q&A and joining the crowd in reminiscing about the team that many believe to be one of the best in NHL history. Ducks owner Henry Samueli gave a speech in which he ultimately turned to Ducks captains Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, the only members of the '07 team still playing for the Ducks.

"Can you please rub shoulders with some of the guys in that locker room," Samueli said with a smile, "so some of that fairy dust will rub off on them?"

Ironically, it was Getzlaf and Perry who were the heroes in the game that night, as Perry had two goals and an assist and Ryan Getzlaf added a goal and two assists, in beating the NHL-best Capitals 5-2.

"It was good to come out and play in front of those guys," Getzlaf said. "Maybe some good mojo. Our team did a great job staying focused on the task and coming out and playing the way we did."

Added Perry, "It was good seeing them and doing the ceremony," Perry said. "I haven't gotten to see a whole lot of them. For them to be here and see the game, and play the way we did, it's definitely a great feeling for everybody."

6) Ducks Win Game 4 at Nashville on Perry's Historic OT GoalIn one of the more emotionally taxing games of Anaheim's 2017 postseason run, Corey Perry played the overtime hero yet again.

The Ducks not only blew a two-goal lead in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final at Nashville, but gave up the tying goal with just 34.5 seconds left in regulation. Yet the Ducks remained resilient in the extra session before Perry fired the puck on net from the right boards and it redirected off Predators defenseman P.K. Subban's stick and past goalie Pekka Rinne.

The goal (scored 10:25 into the OT session) was originally credited to Ducks center Nate Thompson, who was battling in front, but ultimately it was revealed that Perry was the last to touch it. It was his third OT goal of this postseason, matching the NHL record for most overtime goals in a playoff year (Mel Hill in 1939 and Maurice Richard in 1951).

"Like we've been saying all playoffs, we have a checklist that we go through every single day," Perry said. "It doesn't matter when it is in the game, you've got to go back, you've got to think of what's on that list and adversity is one of them, ebbs and flows of a game. We knew coming into overtime, you put that jersey on you, go out and play like you did in the first period - hard-nosed, pucks in deep. We kind of changed the momentum there. We got some chances, and we got the break."